Charities

The Prince's Trust

Cardiff Blues are delighted to confirm that the Prince's Trust is our nominated charity for the 2013/2014 season.

The Prince's Trust helps to inspire young lives and support young people into work, education or training. The charity supports young people aged 13 - 30 who are unemployed and may also be facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems. Many of the young people supported by the Trust are struggling at school, at risk of exclusion, may be leaving care or facing specific problems such as bullying, chaotic home lives, drug and alcohol misuse or have been in trouble with the law.

Around one in five young people in Wales are not in work, education or training. The Prince's Trust believes every young person should be able to fulfil their potential. The charity provides a range of tailored programmes designed to help young people overcome their barriers and give them the practical and financial support they need to stabilise their lives. Three in four young people supported by the charity move into work, education or training.

True life story

Rob Green

Rob Green is 22 and from Cardiff. At school, he was interested only in playing sport, and left school aged 16 with dreams of becoming an Olympic athlete.

Following an injury which put an end to any hope of a sporting career, he had no idea what to do with his life and lost all motivation, hanging around with friends and feeling hopeless about any kind of future success.

A year later, still unemployed, Rob was referred to The Prince's Trust Team programme, which is designed to build confidence and motivation. During the programme Rob felt that he found himself again. He realised that he possessed good leadership skills and started to build up his confidence and interaction with others. He started to trust his own ability for the first time.

Rob then heard about The Trust's Get into Football programme which gives young people vital employability skills in the sports coaching sector and he was immediately interested. Rob excelled on the course and from there his confidence soared. He went on to start his own online business in martial arts equipment with help from The Prince's Trust's Enterprise programme.

Being involved with the Prince's Trust made Rob feel good about himself and, wanting to give something back, became a young ambassador for the charity, acting as a role model for others. In 2011, he won The Prince's Trust Cymru Young Ambassador of the Year award for his commitment to the charity which gave him a helping hand.

In 2012, Rob became one of The Prince's Trust's first Job Ambassadors - young people employed by the charity for a year to engage with other young people needing help. Rob excelled in his role, and was an inspiration to everyone he met, relating to other other young people who leave school with no thoughts about the future and no confidence to find their own way through. He has spoken about his experiences at many high-profile events, even meeting His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

In April, Rob was delighted to secure a permanent job as Economy Officer with Communities First in Cardiff and is relishing his new role.

Support from The Prince's Trust gave Rob the self-belief he needed and he is always keen to share that belief and help others, who are turn motivated by his energy and enthusiasm.

Rob said: "Without the support of The Trust I dread to think where I would be today. When I left school I had nowhere to turn, full of anger and regret. Now, I have an exciting future, fantastic support and I am happy. I have achieved so much more than I ever could have expected."

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